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 Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:16 am
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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:40 am
Leaving Under Cover of Dark
This was going to be his last time seeing these snows for a while, wasn't it? As he looked out over them he couldn't help but to feel a little melancholy about it but he knew deep down it wasn't the snows that he was going to miss, it wasn't the lands of Zena, Sauti, and Tale that he was going to miss, it was something else, someone else, far more important. As he looked through his pack to make sure that everything was in place Chalcedony found himself giving a long, sighing sound. He'd been far to slow on the uptake, he'd missed his chance, and now the one that he loved was being taken away to a foreign land never to return. While Takoda had told him that he would come to Jauhar to visit, that he had promised Chal's little sisters that he would, he knew it wasn't the truth... and even if he did visit, then what? It wasn't as if he could just go back to being his friend, could he? The idea of walking around with him, forced to stay at a distance, it didn't sound as though it were something he could do. Perhaps if he hadn't said anything, if he hadn't blurted out his feelings to Takoda then there might have been a chance but it was too late for that, everything had been revealed, and it was over now.
"I really am going to miss you." He murmured, looking up from his pack and glanced over toward where Takoda was sleeping at. After all he'd been through today he might be tired he thought to himself, the sleep he was getting now was much deserved and something he would need since they all had a long trip ahead of them. It was going to be different this time though, wasn't it? Coming here everyone, while being segregated by tribe, still traveled in a rather large group. Since then, since getting to Zena, people had started to leave a few at a time, making the trip back seem like a lonely one. At first he'd figured that he would travel back with Takoda and a few of the other Shifters, in a safe and friendly group, but now that the end of the journey had arrived he realized that it wasn't the case at all, was it? He was heading for home but he was going to be going it alone. The long stretch of land between Zena and Jauhar seemed to go on forever, making him feel as though he would never get home, but he knew it was something he had to do. He couldn't sit around here and wait any longer nor did he want to sit by idly and watch as Takoda ran off into the arms of that arrogant Leaf Tribe b*****d. No, he would be leaving tonight, while the others had slept. He'd already talked with the one in charge of their group, Yansa, about his decision, and now all he had to do was go.
Rising to his feet he walked over to where Takoda was resting, looking him over closely, then lowered himself down beside him. He watched the Healer for a moment as he slept, seeming to drink in every detail of his friend's face, before he leaned over and brushed his lips against those of Takoda. It was a sneaky thing, he knew that, but one kiss was all he meant to steal from his fellow Shifter and then he would be on his way once more. He was heading back home to Jauhar, back to his family, and everything would return to how it had been before the journey and before he met Takoda, as though it were all one long dream that he would be more then happy to wake up from at the moment. Lifting one hand he brushed back a lock of Takoda's hair before patting him lightly on the head, "Rest well, Takoda." He murmured to him before he pushed himself to to his feet, walked over to where his pack and shield waited for him, and he scooped them up into his arms. With his pack slung over one shoulder, filled with the supplies he would need to aid in getting him home and his shield to defend himself, he supposed that he was ready to go, "Alright, it's time to go."
Taking in a deep breath he started forward, heading toward the path that would take him from the Ice Tribe village and to Sauti, it would take him some time just to get from this place to the next but at least he knew that once he got out of Zena it would be much warmer. How he was looking forward to the warmer weather he thought to himself. The snow had been interesting for a while but given where he'd been born and raised it was only natural that he got sick of the cold weather after a time. Instead he found that he was looking forward to returning to Jauhar even if it had plenty of dangers lurking around the corner. There were various large beasts and bugs to look out for, dangerous natives in the Alkidike, and just the mere fact that one could fall from the trees but despite all of it's dangerous it was where he wanted to be now. He felt that he would feel better once he got home, once he was back with his family, back with the people who loved him.
Chalcedony couldn't help but to wonder about how they were all doing at this very moment, what they were doing, and what all he had missed since he'd parted ways with them. Had the twins been behaving even in the slightest? Was his little brother still teasing everyone and getting into things? Had his youngest sister got to talking more and how tall had she grown in the time he was away? He also couldn't help but to wonder if, by the time he got home, would he discover that there was a new little brother or sister on the way. If his father was around for an extended period of time he figured that it was something that was rather likely. The man couldn't keep his hands off of Mother and because of that they had such a big family he thought to himself, finding himself a touch envious of such a relationship. Perhaps he would have another chance in the future but as it stood he was swearing off relationships of that nature. He wanted nothing more then to just go about things as normal, put more effort into his training as a guard, and instead of worrying about silly things like potential love in the future he would try to focus on what he used to focus on, that being his family. How he wanted to be back there helping with the simple things again... though at the same time he couldn't help but to wonder if his father would allow him to go on patrols with him. Sure, he wasn't nearly in the same class as the older man was, but what better way was there to train up then that? Learning the ropes from someone that had been training for more years then Chal had been alive. It was was something worth looking into when he got home.
It really did sound simple when he thought of it that way, to simple think would be doing such and such 'when he got home' though he really had no idea when that would be. Surely it would be more difficult to get there alone, it would likely take more time as well, but he meant to get home once more. He would return back where he belonged and see about starting his life anew, putting the whole adventuring thing behind him. He'd done it once and it was surely not for him. He much preferred a simple life of routine, where he got up in the morning, tended to his siblings, made sure that breakfast was eaten by everyone, and then from there he figured that he would be able to set out on patrol. He would patrol for a while, make sure the area around home was safe, eat a small meal on his own while doing so, return in the evening for dinner, and repeat the next day.
That was unless his father agreed and allowed for Chal to go on patrols with him... things would be far, far more complicated then, wouldn't they? It would certainly be an interesting way to sharpen his skills but far from being routine. Routine he supposed was comfortable, and something he preferred, but would he really gain anything from that? It would be a good way to distract himself and to keep his mind from wandering back to a lot of 'what ifs' that were currently circling around in his head he supposed. Forgetting all of that would be nice and a routine where he had to make sure to do every step, every day would help with that. Giving pause the guard shifted in place, feeling the overwhelming urge to look back over his shoulder in the direction that he had come from though he knew at this point he'd already come too far, he wouldn't be able to see him from here. As such he drew in a deep breath, tightened his grasp on his shield, and continued forward. Routine or not when he got home he would just be happy to be there. Things, he felt, could only get better from here on out.
(( Word Count: 1612 ))
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:00 pm
Back in Jauhar
He was only too happy to be back in Jauhar, the lands where his family was located, and wanted nothing more then run straight home to them at this very moment. He wanted to check on his siblings, to see how they had been behaving, to see how his mother was doing, see how his grandparents were fairing, and to see if his father was even home at the moment. He had been away a long time, too long if you asked him, and so much had happened both good and bad since he'd left on the journey to Zena. There was some of it that he really didn't want to talk about, not even with his beloved family. He had spent a lot of time thinking on the long road back and he'd come to the decision that it had been his own fault what had happened with Takoda. He hadn't really done anything, had he? He'd taken far too long to understand his own feelings, that they weren't just that of affection between friends but instead it was more then that. That b*****d of an archer though, he had figured it out more quickly. On top of that he had actively sought Takoda's heart and in the end he won it with ease, Chalcedony though, he had done nothing but act the part of a friend and because of that of course his friend would be completely oblivious to any feelings that he'd had for him.
"Doesn't make that guy any less of a jerk." He muttered to himself, still having the urge to punch him square in his arrogant face again... but at least now it was an urge that was only a fleeting one. Were he ever to cross paths with him again he knew that he would be able to resist the desire he had to take a swing, especially because it was fairly likely that Takoda would be present and he didn't want to get into a fight with the archer in front of his fellow Shifter. Being able to keep himself in check would be a good thing, he didn't want to hurt Takoda anymore then he had during their last little bit of time together. It was something that he regretted still, if only he'd kept his house shut things would have been so much better then they were now. He would at least have his friend at his side still instead of things between them being so painfully awkward. He could only hope that it would get better as time passed and that he would be able to talk with his friend once more. It wasn't going to be any time soon but someday, perhaps?
Walking along he found himself looking in the direction that he knew would lead him home, then up toward the scraggly, gray bird that was sitting on his head, having finally decided during the journey home to make friends with him instead of just stalking Chal from a distance, "You know you stick out like sore thumb here in Jauhar there, Scruffy." He told the creature that only made a sort of squawk sound and a rather indignant one at that, a sound that said that Chalcedony was lucky to have so wonderful a companion. He supposed that the bird was right in a way, this creature was the only one of its kind here in Jauhar so he was lucky to have it, not to mention that it was the only one that he returned home with even after leaving with such a big and varied group of people. After everything that had happened, all that he had lost and gained, he was glad to have the bird there so that he had something akin to companionship, even if the creature was constantly trying to steal from him. Better a thieving friend then no friend at all at this point he supposed.
Giving a bit of a smile he said to the creature that was using him as a perch, "So long as you behave and stay close to me or someone in my family I am sure nothing will eat you." At least he sure hoped not, it would be quite the shame if the bird was to have come so far, all the way from Sauti, only to have one of the many beasts that roamed the forest of Jauhar eat the poor thing, "I think we are going to go and collect some fruit from the nearby trees before we head for home, it will be nice to bring something sweet back to everyone." Sure, they would likely scold him for wasting time doing so instead of going straight home but he wanted to make sure he had a full bag of things to bring home to them else his siblings would be disappointed. He at least had a few things that he hoped they would finding interesting, up to and including the scruffy bird that he had with him at the moment. He knew that the last time he'd brought a pet home with him that they had been rather pleased with the results. He wondered if they were still dragging that poor, stupid frog around even now. Yet another thing that he figured that he would learn when he got home he thought to himself.
Giving a little sigh he lifted a hand to scratch the bird under the chin before he glanced up toward the large branches of the trees of Jauhar, "You know, I really have rather missed this place." He murmured to his feathered companion, walking toward the closest tree, rested a hand against it for a moment, and then started the climb that would take him up into it's thick branches. The bird, while plenty capable of flying, seemed at first to be more then content to just have Chal do all of the work. It even went about complaining at times as the climb continued when it was nearly knocked down or bumped by a branch, that was until it caught sight of some of the brightly colored Kinfa that were native the forest and almost instantly the bird took off, flapping after them, seemingly flirting.
Chal paused in his climb, went wide eyed, and then gave a shake of his head, "Wow..." Now that would make some interesting babies he thought to himself, wondering if Scruffy was going to leave him for some random Kinfa just as Takoda had left him for that idiot of an archer. He supposed he couldn't blame the bird, they acted on instinct after all, but he sort of hoped that the creature would stick around with him for at least a little while longer before wandering off to get some. He watched as the gray bird flapped around after the Kinfa for a time, chuckling at the way that the creature was chirping at them, before he continued on his climb. If Scruffy wanted to join him he knew the bird would be able to catch up easily enough. If not... well, at least he'd helped yet another couple find each other? Chal stuck his tongue out at the sarcastic thought that went through his mind as he made his way ever higher into the trees. No, he didn't even want to think about it, about the fact that Takoda was coupled now with that Leaf Tribe archer. He just wanted to focus on something else, anything else, other then Takoda and that archer and what they might be doing right now. It just made him want to vomit... another sarcastic thought he shoved aside, not wanting to be that guy. So long as Takoda was happy then he was happy he told himself.
As he got higher up, the bright red fruit that he was hunting for were soon coming into sight and upon seeing them he couldn't help but to have a bit of a melancholy feeling fill him yet again despite just telling himself not to think about 'him'. The first time that he'd learned of this fruit was from Takoda, wasn't it? His friend had told him about it, how good it was for the one eating it, how filling it was, and how the seeds that it contained within it could be ground up and used in other foods to make them better for you as well as more filling. It was a useful way to make foods fit for travel, he'd learned that as well and put the teaching into play during the trip to Zena. He really had been stupid, having had so much time with Takoda, far more then the archer had, and yet still he'd failed at figuring it all out until it was too late.
Shaking his head to clear it once more he turned his attention toward the fruit itself instead of the one that had taught him about it, "I am not so pathetic that I can't live without him!" He muttered to himself in an angry tone of voice as he started to pick some of the fruit, tossing them into his bag, probably harder then he needed to. He had gotten by just fine before he had met with Takoda and he would survive without him now that he'd lost him, it was just that middle part in which he got over losing him that would take time. Getting home, that would be the first step toward healing, this he knew. He would finally be back with those that he loved, would be able to lick his wounds and heal from them with them, and once he was feeling better perhaps he would even feel ready to face Takoda again? For now though, it was time to head for home. The space in the bag that wasn't already filled with various things from Tale, Sauti, and Zena had been filled with fruit so now was a good a time as any to make his return.
(( Word Count: 1667 ))
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:04 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:15 pm
Alone Again
A part of Chalcedony felt a little bit guilty for having left Keilana on her own to face off with the brother that she had managed to tumbled out of the tree in front of. Only a small part though because he knew damn well that if they were seen together with Keilana in the shape she was in at the moment the archer would accuse him of all manner of things. Sure, some of them might be in some way true but others he was certain would be completely false or blown way out of proportion. Either way he wasn't interested in sticking around to have to deal with that arrogant a**. Instead he made his escape back into the shadows, certain that Keilana would be fine since she had both fallen in front of her brother and near to her hammer. With her weapon and an escort both on hand he was sure that she would be led safely out of Jauhar back to Tale and the two of them would likely never see one another again. The night together had been a mistake and it was probably for the best that they keep separate and not make such a mistake again... not that he was really planning on doing so. Without the drink in him he was sure that it was something that he'd of never done, not when his heart still belonged to someone else.
"That stuff is poison." He muttered to himself, not sure why anyone in their right mind would want to drink it when it made you do stupid things that you could barely remember when you finally recovered from it's taint. He would never even go near the stuff again let alone drink it he thought to himself as he started to make his way along through the branches of the trees. A part of him wanted to go home, feeling that it would be the best thing to do at the moment. Another part of him wasn't so sure. Perhaps a bath would be in order after a night in the forest he thought to himself. While it would help, to a point, he knew that there was no way that he could erase some of the markings that he'd gotten on his body and a part of Chal just wanted to hide out for a while, at least until the marks faded and he would be able to go back home. Were he to go back soon he would have to worry about his many siblings asking him what the marks were, how he'd gotten them, and so on and so forth. Questions that were bound to draw the attention of his parents who would probably want to know the same thing and what was he supposed to tell them? Oh, I got drunk and slept with a girl whose name I just learned a short time before. Yeah, that was bound to go over well.
Lifting a hand up to rub it against his forehead he muttered, "Well, if nothing else at least she was Leaf Tribe and not Alkidike." That would be something that would likely cause him to go off to exile himself in the forest out of embarrassment. Sure, he liked Rishima well enough but he really couldn't see himself being at all interested in a full blooded warrior woman, especially given the way that they thought of the rest of the clans. So at least he'd been lucky in that aspect... though that kind of seemed to be the only upside to the entire debacle. Why... why did it have to be that p***k of an archer's sister? It just made everything all that much more complicated... though he supposed only as complicated as he allowed it to be since it wasn't as though he were going to go seek her out for another go. That was a one time deal and given who she was, where she was living, and that if he went anywhere near her it meant dealing with not only the archer but Takoda... he just couldn't even fathom it. How horribly shameful of him to do such a thing when he still claimed that it was Takoda that had his heart. Not that it would have done him any good when it came to get any affection in return even if he remain chaste the rest of his life he thought to himself idly.
Shaking his head to clear such thoughts he gave pause, looking on ahead. Not much farther to the river he thought to himself, deciding that step one would be a soak. He sink himself in the water up to his chin, enjoy the cool water, let it wash away everything from the passed day as well as help to ease his headache. Once that was done he would try to figure out what his next move would be. His safest bet would be to go on a patrol with his father, those lasted long enough that the various marks he had on him would fade by the time it was over and then it would be safe to go home without worry about what his various siblings might say. While he really didn't want to discuss what happened with his father it was better him then his mother since she was sure to ask far too many questions then would be comfortable, likely even more then his siblings were able to ask. That was a feat in and of itself but if anyone could do such a thing it would be his mother since she was eternally curious about everything going on in the lives of her children.
Once he was certain that there was nothing skulking about in the woods or around the river that he should worry about, and that he hadn't been followed to this point by the archer or Keilana, he made his way down the tree and over to the edge of the water. Chalcedony set down his weapon and his makeshift pack made out of his shirt, stripped down, and headed into the cool water so that he could do a bit of relaxinag, washing, and some more thinking on what his plans were for the moment. He had them mostly thought out, now all he had to do was a bit of fine tuning and then he would be on his way. All he could really do at this point was hope that his father would allow him along on one of his patrols without asking too many questions himself. Their relationship, while better then it had been, was still a touch rocky. Maybe this trip would be exactly what was needed to patch it up the rest of the way he thought to himself as he sank into the water.
Word Count: 1139
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:16 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 4:20 pm
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Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:08 am
After the Duel
It had been a rather exciting battle of you asked Rishima, one that he wouldn't soon forget. How often after all did one get into a battle that ended in both sides laying flat on their back after all? It had been so exciting and while it was a touch sad that there wasn't a winner to the battle it really didn't bother him all that much. Not when he'd had so much fun during the battle and he felt he'd learned a lot from it as well. He had been dodging in such an amazing fashion, as though he were one with the wind, and it was something that he wanted nothing more then to tell Jerarda all about. Every single detail... save for maybe the name of the one that he had been sparring with. The last thing that he wanted was to start an incident between the two tribes because he'd gone out having a friendly spar with someone that was supposed to be an enemy to their people. He'd talked to Yansa about his curiosity when it came to the Shifters but he'd assured her that in his heart he was Alkidike. It was a claim that remained true to this day but it didn't mean that a part of him didn't want for peace between the two tribes. Surely working together would better then always facing off against each other in aggressive manner, right? Given what Rishima was he felt that he was proof that the two tribes could coexist. If his father was still around he felt that the man would be yet more proof of such a thing. A shame that he was still missing he thought to himself, giving a soft sigh.
It was a thought that he shoved aside though, not wanting to dwell on that. He was till following leads when he was able to find them and he felt that one day he would figure out what had happened to the man. For the moment though he had other things that he had to focus on, important ones, such as resting up with his Shifter friend in their camp high up in the trees, from there he and Itzal would be going to meet with with Jerarda, and the three of them would be headed North to commune with the Mother Tree, Aisha. It was something that he had been looking forward to for some time and at long last all preparations for the journey were complete. All that stood between him and that journey now was sleeping through the night and then going to find Jerarda. It was exciting enough that he could almost feared his heart would thud its way out of his chest it was beating so hard.
"I think we can stop here for the night." Came the voice of Chalcedony, pulling him out of his deep thoughts and just in time to as he'd almost walked right into the other man he was so deep in thought. Given how exhausted the two of them were it probably couldn't have been the best ideas since they would likely have both tumbled from the tree and fallen down to the ground far, far below. Not a thing that they would just bounce back from. Rishima watched as Chal went to sit down with his back against the massive trunk of the tree and he moved to sit down along side him. He looked over at his temporary companion and then around them, feeling a bit as though he were cheating on Jerarda or something. He was just friends with Chalcedony at best where as Jerarda was his sister and the one that he wanted to emulate, still he couldn't help but to feel such a thing. Likely because he knew that he really shouldn't be hanging out for extended periods of time with a Shifter even if it was for his own good.
Giving a bit of a smile Chalcedony set to work digging to the pack that he was carrying with him, taking out a few pieces of the bright red fruit that grew high in the branches of the trees of Jauhar, "Here you go, this will suffice for dinner tonight. It's more filling them it might seem, especially if you eat the seeds too. They can be a bit bitter if you bite them so I suggest swallowing them along with some of the fruit." Chal said, starring down at the piece of fruit that he was holding for a moment before he shook his head and took a bite. Now was not the time to think about the one that had introduced him to these fruits he told himself, working on breaking himself of the habit of thinking for too long about 'him'. He wanted to get on with his life which meant not spending his every waking hour thinking about someone that he had lost a long time ago due to his own foolishness and weak will. It was something that he wouldn't do again that was for sure. He didn't want to lose anyone else, even if that meant making friends with someone like Rishima behind the backs of their respective tribes he thought to himself idly.
"You don't have to pick at it or skin it, you can eat all of it but the stem." He added when it looked as though Rishima was inspecting the fruit and trying to figure out how to go about skinning it to get to the fruit and the seeds that Chalcedony had told him about. The Shifter gave a smile, deciding to but 'him' out of his mind for now so that he could instead focus on his friend... or at least a person that he wanted to make friends with that was. He just wasn't quite sure how to broach such a subject and as such the two of them ended up sitting in silence, eating the food that Chalcedony had passed out to the two of them.
Rishima set to digging into the piece of red fruit, taking big bites of it, rather enjoying how sweet it was, before he looked forward to where Itzal was, curled up on the branch in front of them, watching the pair of them as they ate. He gave a little wave to the beast before tearing a piece of the fruit off with his teeth, tossing it over to the Radaku who snapped it out of the air, chewed it up, and swallowed before returning to merely watching. Giving a chuckle Rishima looked over at Chalcedony, "He can be a bit over protective but I think that he somewhat likes you." It was definite like but he seemed to be tolerating Chal more then he did most strangers that came about Rishima that weren't of the Alkidike tribe. At least he wasn't hassling the Shifter though given that Chalcedony was too tired to fend him off and Rishima was too tired to really help him out when it came to chasing the beast off if he wanted to start trouble. As it appeared at the moment though Itzal was behaving himself, not growling or snarling, not trying to pick a fight, he was just starring.
Chalcedony gave the Radaku a glance before he nodded, "Glad that he tolerates me at least. I would rather not get on his bad side." He said with a bit of a chuckle. With that he returned to his meal, working on finishing it off. Once he was done he tossed the bits that were inedible over the side of the branch, knowing that wherever it landed it would either feed the tree itself or it would feed the various creatures that lived in the tree since they seemed to be a lot less picky when it came to what they did and didn't eat. From there he turned back to looking over at Rishima once more, "I really do need to thank you for that duel. I have been trying to get them where I can find them and I think that it's helping me as far as getting better and better at defending myself which means I will be better at defending others." He said, though he supposed that he didn't exactly have a charge at the moment, did he? No matter, he would just have to go from tending to one person and keeping him safe to tending to the whole of his tribe instead. It was a silly and somewhat childish dream to want to play bodyguard forever anyway. He'd seen the magic that 'he' could use after all and knew full well that 'he' would be fine without him, especially given there was that archer in the picture.
"I want to get stronger and stronger, so I can better serve my tribesmen. I am sure that you know how that feels though, huh?" He said, as he looked over at the spear that Itzal was currently carrying for Rishima. He knew full well that the spear meant the same thing to Rishima that the shield did for Chalcedony. It was a sign of the rank that he had among the Alkidike, it meant that he was strong, and that they respected him. The weapon that Chalcedony had was one that was meant to defend those that he kept behind it and it made a good weapon as well when the need arose, it was a versatile tool that he meant to master the use of one day so that he could keep others safe from the various pains that the world would throw at them.
Rishima looked over toward the spear, knowing that it was what held Chal's attention at the moment before he gave a smile, "I want to get stronger, yes. I want to be able to prove myself to my tribe, and to be able to become someone important to my many sisters even though I am quite different from all of them." He said, not only was he smaller and his coloring different but he was also male, not something that happened with the full blooded Alkidike. It was a trying thing to start with but he really did feel as though he were making headway and one he really did think that he was going to become someone that they all trusted and loved. He wanted that more then anything, for them to look upon him in a kind manner instead of a suspicious one. The sooner that he could do that the better and he really felt that the trip to visit with Aisha would aid him in that goal.
Giving a smile he said, "I will be heading out in the morning to meet up with my most precious sister and we will be going on a journey that I hope will help me to finally reach my goal." He said, unable to hide his excitement over the fact that it was nearing time to go to visit Aisha, not that he would say that out loud. He liked Chalcedony well enough but there were things that he couldn't reveal to him even though he was like a friend to him. He had things that had to remain secret, especially from a Shifter, but it didn't mean that he couldn't at least speak of his journey and how happy he was over the fact that it was near at hand. All he had to do was make sure that he didn't reveal any details about where he was going, what he was going to do, and the fact that he was going to be communing with the Mother Tree. Not that he thought that the existence of the Mother Tree was something that many, if any, Shifters knew about. Aisha was too important to risk by spreading too many rumors about her after all he thought to himself, antennae twitching.
"I wish you luck on your journey, Rishima. I hope that you make it to where you are going swiftly and safely." Chalcedony said, rather envying that he had a goal in mind. Perhaps that was what he was missing? Sure, it was one thing to say that he wanted to protect his people but was he really striving forward toward that? He was practicing, sure, but nothing like going on a journey to find himself in the manner that Rishima was. Maybe that was what he needed to do? The best one to speak to about it would be his father. The man had been kind enough to allow him along on a patrol a while back after his run in with Keilana, maybe he would also know where it was that he should go next to better serve his tribe and to better hone his skills so that he could keep his loved ones safe? He would need to see about speaking with him in the morning, "I think I should do something similar, I will need to speak with my father, to gain his advice on the matter after we split up in the morning. I know what I want to do when it comes to my tribe I don't quite have a path laid out before me in the manner that you do."
Leaning back against the tree Rishima let his mismatched eyes sink close, "I am sure that you will be able to do it Chalcedony, you are quite strong, I could see that when we dueled." He said, then peeked one eye open, "How about this, after our journeys are done we meet up again and have another duel? The last one ended in a stalemate and I know that you are curious about who might have won given one last round, just as I am." He suggested in a quiet voice, not wanting anyone to overhear that he was making plans to meet with Chalcedony again.
The Shifter looked over at him for a long moment before his lips turned up into a smile, "That sounds good, Rishima. Let's have another duel once we have both reached the next step toward our goals." That meant a lot of hard work on both of their parts but he was more then willing to put in that hard work just as he knew that Rishima was, "For now though I think that it's time to turn in. I am exhausted." He said, leaning back against the tree, "Sleep well, Rishima."
"You too, Chalcedony." The halfbreed said a short time later the two of them were snoozing away while Itzal looked out for any dangers, wanting to keep the pair of them safe from anything that might be lurking in the forest, not matter what it might be. He would see to it that the two were able to rest up after their duel and that they were ready for what the morning would bring to them both...
(( Word Count: 2485 ))
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Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 5:34 pm
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Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 12:33 pm
The Walk Home
The walk home from Tale to Jauhar was a long one, one in which Chalcedony happily carried Isa along in his arms, not wanting to put her down, as though afraid that she might disappear again. She was a sweet little girl, one that likely had a lot of fun on her adventure, but at the same time she was still rather young! She needed to be safe at home with her family, not wandering around at random, it was something that just rubbed him the wrong way knowing that she had been so far away from where she was safest. While he was sure that his parents knew about the fact that she had gone to Tale with the elder, they had probably given permission, but all of that was over and it was time that she got home! He would be far calmer once she was there, back in their tree home, away from the various dangers that the walk home presented to the two of them.
Isa was rather quiet in his arms for a while, just keeping her arms wrapped tightly around her brother's neck, as though she knew that he needed to be reassured over the girl's safety. Giving him a bit of a smile she finally spoke up, "I... I'm sorry Chal... I didn't know that me going on an adventure would scare you..." Her voice was barely a whisper as she peeked up at him. She was worried about her brother, he was a nice person, one that always did a lot for the family, and he looked so upset when he was arguing with that man from before. She had wanted to run right to him at that very moment but she was held back, told that it was a test that he had to go through, one that would see if he was strong enough. Isa had, of course, told the elders she was with that of course Chalcedony was strong enough! He was one of the strongest men she knew, the other one of course being her daddy. Still, if they had said that it was for his own good... but she was wondering how that might be since he didn't seem all that happy. How could it be for his own good if it upset him?
Looking down at the girl in his arms the now massif dredged forth the best smile that he could muster before he patted her on the head in a manner that he'd picked up from their mother, "It's alright. I will just feel better when we get home. It can be rather dangerous on the ground for someone as little as you, Isa. Once we get back to Jauhar and get back to the trees then I think that everything will be much better." He told her, not wanting for her to worry too much about him when he was the one that should be worried. The test he'd been given hadn't gone well, he didn't quite understand why they wanted to reward him with the new rank, he'd done poorly, hadn't he? Sure, he'd been able to track his sister and her 'kidnapper' down but he hadn't been able to defeat the guy! He hadn't even been able to hit him! So why would they want to offer him a greater rank?
The best that he could come up with was, perhaps, potential but that couldn't be... right? How could they just give him a rank because of potential that only they could see. At the moment he sure didn't see it... it was so bothersome, made him feel so terrible... but at the same time he could see what was wrong with his own training now. Maybe... maybe that was part of this? They weren't only just testing his devotion to his family and tribe but helping him to see where he needed to improve? He needed to get train harder, needed to get stronger, a lot stronger, if he was going to be able to protect those that he care about and loved. He knew that he had failed to keep the one he loved at his side, had lost him to someone else, and that had been quite the blow. He had to bounce back from that, find his footing again, get stronger, and if he was lucky he would be able to find what he'd lost when he lost Takoda. There was so much more that he had going for him, sure he hadn't won over Takoda, but it was a wound he could heal from given time. Sure, there would always be a scar on his heart, but he would be able to get passed everything that had gone wrong of late.
"See, I can already see the trees of Jauhar. I think that I will feel much better once we get back there." He told his sister, giving her a smile and a tighter hug before he quickened his steps, "So don't worry about me, alright? I will be fine once we get home and we can rest up there after our long walk. Just think, I am sure even now Mom is making us something tasty to eat." A good meal and a nap, that was what he wanted right now, and afterwards he would see about restarting his training from scratch if that was what it took for him to feel more at ease with what he felt was a undeserved rank. It would take a lot on his part but he felt he could catch up with that rank in time.
Isa looked toward the trees, toward her brother, and then back again before she nodded in agreement, "Alright, Chal. I think that you are probably right... I think that getting home to Mommy will be nice. She probably misses us. She really didn't want me to go so far away but Daddy said that it was alright. She said that if anything happened to either of us she was going to beat him to death with her cooking spoon. Isn't that funny? Poor Daddy." She said before she set to giggling happily over the mental image.
It was a mental image that had even Chalcedony chuckling a bit before he said, "Best that we hurry home then, we don't want our poor Dad getting beat to death by a spoon." He said, quickening his pace that much more, eager to get home.
(( Word Count: 1077 ))
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Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:43 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:44 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:46 pm
The Chase
"Sooooo... you're gonna have a baby, huh?" Came the playful and devious voice of one of the twins. When Chalcedony looked upwards he saw Reva along with Vera hanging upside down in the branches of the tree, grinning down at him as though they had heard the most tasty gossip in the world... though he supposed that they had done just that, hadn't they? Not as if he had had thought the two of them were actually going to do as he told them to do, that being for them to get lost while he spoke with Keilana, "And with a Leaf Tribeswoman, I didn't see that one coming." She added, flipping over and let herself drop down onto all fours on the branch above her brother, grinning down at him. For the moment the way she was grinning made her look like a carrion bird that had found someone wounded in the forests of Jauhar. The look on her sister's face, it was just as devious, and had Chal squirming just a little bit as he started up the tree, leaving the ground behind, wanting to get to where he felt more comfortable.
Vera dropped down to land alongside her twin, looking Chalcedony over before she added, "Here I thought that he always had a thing for that Takoda guy... he was really pretty too... but this Leaf girl, she is even prettier. So... a baby, eh? When did the two of you start dating?" She asked, sitting down, arms crossing over her chest, studying him as closely as Reva was. It seemed as though both of them were quite curious about him, Keilana, their relationship, and the fact that there was going to be a baby soon that was a result of the relationship between the two of them.
Chalcedony paused, sighed, then shook his head, "I had a thing for him, yes, but that is in the past. He is with someone else." He told them, not wanting to think about that though, not when there were more pressing matters to worry about. He had always thought that would be his biggest worry, that he had lost the his first love to that Leaf Tribe archer but now... now there was something a lot bigger for him to worry about, wasn't there? He was going to be a father. It was something that he had thought about before, how couldn't he consider such a thing when he had so many siblings. This was a whole lot sooner then he had ever expected to become a father but really thinking on it, on what he and Keilana had done that night, of course there was the chance that she would end up in such a condition. If his family was any indication theirs was a rather... potent family. He shouldn't be at all surprised that Keilana was now with child after their time together. Instead of allowing himself to be shocked or worried over that he had far more important things to fret over. The most important thing being his parents... how was he going to explain to them? Not to mention that he had to figure out how to keep the twins silent until he could tell his parents.
Turning his attention back to the grinning girls who were following along after him he gave a bit of a sighing sound, "I know exactly what you two monsters are thinking and the answer is 'no'. I am going to be the one to tell our... HEY! Get back here! Reva! Vera! I swear when I catch you I am going to throw you out of this tree!" He called after his retreating, giggling sisters, moving quickly to follow along after the two girls. How two such small girls could have such massive mouths, it was something beyond Chalcedony's comprehension. He would have to try to catch them and silence them before they got back to where their family's home was located he thought to himself as he chased the giggling girls. The higher they got into the tree the easier it was for them to put distance between themselves and Chalcedony, their lighter weight making it so that they could run along branches that the bigger Massif could not.
Overhead he was able to hear their continued giggling which, if nothing else, allowed him to at least know where they were at the moment. Knowing where they were, how far ahead they might be, and exactly where their home was he knew exactly how much time and distance he had to catch up. He didn't know if he was going to be able to do so before they got back but he was going to try his best, "Reva! Vera! Get back here!" He called out after them, then added, "I promise if you come back I might not give you a toss!" A rather empty threat at beast because they both knew damn well that he would never do anything to endanger any member of his family. As such those words seemed to only make them laugh all that much more as they continued to flee from him. So long as they stayed one step ahead of him they would be in the clear... or at least they really, really hoped as much.
One of the twins, Vera, gave a squeal as her foot slipped in her hurry to escape Chal, falling off her perch, and right down into the arms of her brother. She blinked up at him, her eyes going wide, before she tried to squirm her way free... but didn't seem to get anywhere. Instead, despite all her attempts at an escape, she found herself tossed over his shoulder in an unceremonious manner as he continued up the tree in pursuit of the still free Reva, "Augh! Chalcedony! This is no way to treat your favorite sister!" She cried out, kicking her feet in an ineffectual manner, hands hitting against the shield that was on her brother's back, but soon enough gave up when it was clear that all she was doing was exhausting herself.
Chal gave a bit of a chuckle as he continued the climb, "At the moment, given what you little monsters are you to, I think I would have to say that Isa is my favorite." He said in a teasing manner, grinning when he spotted Reva who wasn't all that far ahead now, having stopped to check on Vera after her slip, fleeing when she saw that she had been 'captured' by Chalcedony. The last bit of distance between where they were and home was covered quickly enough by the two of them who were still running, and it was at the last second that Chalcedony swept Reva up into his arms, tossing her over his other shoulder, thinking himself in the clear.
That was until the two girls looked at those who were coming up behind them group of them, those people being Bomani and Zahra, their parents, and the two of them squealed in unison, "Momma! Daddy! Chal is having a baby with a Leaf Tribe girl!" An announcement that seemed to cause the whole of Jauhar to go dead silent.
(( Word Count: 1201 ))
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Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:47 pm
A Long Explanation
Chalcedony was feeling so painfully uncomfortable at the moment as he looked between the dual stares of his parents that were on him at the moment. Both of them were looking rather displeased with him, as though he had done the worst possible thing... and he supposed that in a way he had. He had been more then a little irresponsible, allowed himself to do something utterly stupid, and it was not only himself but Keilana who was caught up in that mistake. Sure, Keilana wasn't exactly innocent in it all but he had been the sober one at the time and he'd allowed himself to join her in drinking that strong, awful liquor. It had made them stupid and caused them to make all manner of mistakes, more then he wanted to even list. He shifted in place, fiddled with a lock of his hair, looked away, looked back at them, then sighed, "Ahhh... look... I know you are both disappointed and... that wasn't exactly how I wanted you to learn about it." He said, hands clasping in front of him, wanting nothing more then toss his sisters off the tree at the moment, little monsters.
"It's not like I hid it from you for a long time or anything... I mean I just learned about it myself today. Keilana came to tell me not that long ago and the twins happened to overhear. I was on my way back to tell you guys when they... when they..." He shook his head, feeling more then a little frustrated over the fact that they had to tell their parents. He wanted to be the one one to tell them, he didn't want to seem as though he was trying to hide anything from them, it was his place to tell them. It was the first time that he felt such anger toward his sisters... he knew that they likely just thought it another game, another bit of gossip to bring back to their parents, but it was more then that. It was something else, something bigger then both of them, bigger then himself. What else could he have done when it was something he'd just learned himself? He sighed as he clasped his hands together once more, "Look... it was... it was a big mistake on my part. Keilana and myself... we were both just... lonely and upset, everything seemed all mixed up for us both in different ways... and both of our situations were caused by the same people strangely enough but in different ways..."
He sighed, shaking his head, "I stumbled across her, drinking in Jauhar, when I was on one of my patrols and... I wanted to stay with her, look after her, keep her from getting hurt since she wasn't likely to know the various dangers that Jauhar has to offer since she is from Tale..." He said, starting to explain it, "Then I... I got drawn into it, drinking I mean, and then that led to... ahh... other things... it wasn't as though we meant for this to happen, it was a liquor induced mistake but it's something I mean to be responsible for! I am not going to leave her to raise my child without me and nothing you can say will change my mind." He told his parents in a determined manner, hands clenching at his sides, frightened that they might actually try to keep him from her and his child.
The pair of were merely starring at him, holding their silence as their eldest explained to them exactly how he had ended up knocking up some Leaf Tribeswoman that he had never spoke to them about. It would seem as though they had missed something big, not just about that woman but about the pain that their son was apparently in over losing Takoda. He had tried to pass it off as nothing with them when he returned from Zena, said that Takoda had moved away to Tale, decided to stay with the Leaf Tribe, and that was that... but that wasn't that, was it? Why else would he be so upset and lonely that he would allow himself to get mixed up in such an event as the one he got mixed up in, "Chalcedony, we won't try to force you to abandon your child or that woman... this is all a shock, to learn that you would do something so foolish as this... but we would never tell you to leave them." His mother told him, walking over to him, reaching a hand out to ruffle his hair gently, "You are a good, strong boy, and I am sure you will take good care of your child... though you will need to bring the child and its mother here to meet us."
Bomani looked at his wife, rolled his eyes, then looked back to his son, "Look, Chalcedony, your mother as always is being as soft, that is her nature. On the other hand I am not going to be as soft on you. If you think that you are ready to be a father then you had best prove it. From here on out you are no longer going to be roaming around, doing what you want to do, nor are you going to be in charge of your own training. I am taking over." He said in a matter of fact manner that had Chalcedony's eyes going rather wide and made his wife sigh a bit over it, "Look here woman, you know damn well that he will need to be much stronger if he is going to raise a child in this dangerous world. Not to mention that not everyone is alright with those of mixed blood, there are those who want to see the tribes remain as separate entities from one another. He needs to be strong if he wants to keep his younglings safe. This isn't something that I will be changing his mind on."
Chalcedony looked between his parents, drew in a deep breath, then nodded his head, "It's alright Mom, I am going to do it. I want to train with Father, I want to be as strong as he is, I always have. I mean... if he can keep as big a family as we have safe then he is probably the best one to train with right? I will do it." He said, giving his mother a smile before looking to his father, "So when are we going to be starting this?" He asked of his father in a curious manner.
"Probably tomorrow... for the moment I have a couple of my other little spawn to talk with..." He said, pushing to his feet, looking in the direction that the twins had been sent in after their delivery of the news about Chalcedony's surprise child. The two of them were purposefully stirring up trouble again and while he doubted very highly that they understood exactly what they done he was going to be talking to them about it, "I will mete out some punishment and a lot of extra chores. They need to understand what they did was wrong, that it wasn't their news to bring to us, and that they should have allowed Chalcedony to tell us. Zahra, my Love, if you want to start dinner with Chal's help we will all sit down together for a meal later." With that the man was walking away from them, over to where the twins were staying. It was time for them to talk.
"Come on, Chal, let's go and get dinner going." She said, watching Bomani for a moment before she took Chalcedony's hand and led him along, "While we work on dinner how about you tell me about what happened in Zena, what happened between you and Takoda, and about the pain you are in that you have been hiding from us." It was something she couldn't let remain hidden. She wanted to know what had happened, Chalcedony was her son after all, and if she was hurting he wanted to know why.
Chalcedony seemed to be thinking on that for a long moment before nodding his head, "Ahhh... yeah... we can talk." He said after a bit of debate. While he never wanted for his family to worry about such things but now that they knew he couldn't really avoid it any longer could he? He would need to tell them now and as much as he didn't want to talk about such embarrassing things he would, at least when it came to his mother. As far as his father went he didn't want to share, that was far, far too embarrassing for sure.
(( Word Count: 1447 ))
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